diets · eating · men · sports nutrition

Thug Kitchen and bro nutrition

Sam B

The Saveur’s best new food blog of 2013 is Thug Kitchen.

The blog’s tagline is “EAT LIKE YOU GIVE A FUCK.”

I’m amused by this twist on macho nutrition. I like that it’s not your usual manly foods. (See here and here for posts on food and masculinity.)

I’m going to write later about the language of “plant based” and “plant strong” versus “vegan.” What I like about it is that you can say you eat a “primarily plant based diet” and there’s no assumption you’re just a lousy vegan! Amber at Go Kaleo eats this way too. She writes:

“I live in a temperate climate with a year-round growing season that supports a rich and varied plant based diet, so that is what I eat. It is also how I enjoy eating, and it supports my value system of using the fewest resources possible to support my needs, so that there is more for everyone to thrive. These things are important to me. Others have different tastes and values and other climates support different food systems. There are some places on earth where animal foods require fewer resources to produce (or import) than plant foods; climates like that would more sustainably support an animal foods based diet.”

What I worry about it is the distancing oneself from vegan politics and the concern for animal welfare. But, as I said, more on that and the politics of “plant strong” later.

Back to Thug Kitchen, home of tasty plant based cooking, nutrition tips, and foul language.

From their FAQ:

“where the fuck am I?”
THUG KITCHEN, BITCH. THAT’S WHERE THE INTERNET BUS DRIVER JUST DROPPED YOUR SORRY ASS OFF. YOU’RE IN MY HOUSE. I’M GOING TO DROP SOME KNOWLEDGE ON YOUR ASS.

“what is thug kitchen?”
THIS SITE IS HERE TO HELP YOUR NARROW DIETARY MINDED ASS EXPLORE SOME FUCKING OPTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AND FEEL LIKE A FUCKING CHAMP. PART OF WHAT WE ENJOY ABOUT TK IS HOW, HOPEFULLY, IT WILL GET READERS THINKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF ADDITIONAL BEHAVIORS THEY ATTRIBUTE TO PEOPLE WHO TRY TO EAT HEALTHY. EVERYONE DESERVES TO FEEL A PART OF OUR COUNTRY’S PUSH TOWARD A HEALTHIER DIET, NOT JUST PEOPLE WITH DISPOSABLE INCOMES WHO SPEAK A CERTAIN WAY. WE AIM TO EDUCATE AS WELL AS ENTERTAIN, MOTHER FUCKER.

“are you vegan?”
NAW BUT MY DIET IS ALMOST COMPLETELY PLANT-BASED. MY GIRL IS VEGAN AS HELL AND I SUPPORT THAT SHIT.

THERE AIN’T NOTHING ZESTY ABOUT A DRIVE-THRU DIET. Kick those Dorito-dusted cheese ditches to the curb and park your ass in the kitchen.  You don’t need those tacos misérables, TK has your back.SWEET POTATO AND PINTO BEAN TACOS3 cups of cooked pinto beans (about 2-15 ounce cans)1 teaspoons of coconut or olive oil (whatever you already have)½ cup veggie broth or water2 teaspoons smoked paprika or chili powder2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses (this has a bunch of fucking iron in it and is near the maple syrup at the store)2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice2-3 garlic cloves 1 pound of sweet potatoes (this should be about 2 cups when you chop it all up)½ of a yellow onion1 teaspoon coconut or olive oilsalt to tastesoft corn tortillas*whatever toppings you got Warm the first teaspoon of oil in a medium pot. Add the beans, broth, smoked paprika, molasses, vinegar, and garlic. Get it to start bubbling slowly for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat.Chop up the sweet potato and onion so they are about the size of a pinto bean so you’re not taking any confusing bites. Warm up the oil in a large skillet or big-ass pan and add the onion and sweet potato. Cook them until the onion is getting brown and the sweet potato softens up. Add the beans and whatever broth is still in that other pot you already forgot about. Cook this mixture on a medium heat until the potatoes are soft enough for you. This should take 5-8 minutes. If it starts to look dry, add some water. Add salt to taste but don’t go fucking crazy.I served my tacos topped with lime juice, shredded lettuce, radishes, white onion, green onions, and jalapenos but add the shit you like.Makes 8 tacos*to avoid GMO corn, buy organic

Published by Sam B

Philosopher, feminist, parent, and cyclist! Co-founder of Fit Is a Feminist Issue, co-author of Fit at Mid-Life: A Feminist Fitness Journey, published by Greystone Books.

9 thoughts on “Thug Kitchen and bro nutrition”

  1. Whatever floats your boat. I am amused by Thug Kitchen and not offended. As an ethical VEGAN I am happy to see anything that attracts more people to eating more a plant based diet. I look forward to your follow up post.

    1. Me too. Amused, not offended. Like their posts and they make me laugh. I’m interested though in reflecting on our language choices around food.

  2. Hey, if they can make men think eating sweet potatoes and broccoli is just fucking, you know, sick, man – hey, what works works. 🙂

  4. Ok. If it helps motivate others to get on the healthy eating wagon….

    Actually, I never thought some other people would have such wrong ideas about people who try to eat healthy anyway. I scarcely doubt eating a stir fry veggie dish would offend anyone. But again I’m probably wrong to the folks that are nothing but dairy and carnivorous.

    (I’m not even vegetarian. Meat about 3-4 times per month.)

  5. I find this concept novel, but as someone who is fussy about vegetables, I need the recipes to be good (i.e. I need a low-stakes recipe to try first).

    1. I think most of their recipes are good but they might not have enough instructions. They tend to be pretty basic.

  6. Pingback: Vegan, plant-based, plant strong? What’s in a name? | Fit, Feminist, and (almost) Fifty

Comments are closed.